Compartments. I am queen of compartmentalizing in my life. I always have been. Sometimes it serves a good purpose and other times it catches up to me like a sudden bomb, blowing up all hope of avoiding a situation or emotion. Thankfully, as I age, I am learning to “unpack,” so to speak. I now know that whether I choose to avoid something or confront it directly, it’s going to happen at some point.Read More

Battling delayed onset muscle soreness.

Do you ever wonder why it takes a day or 2 to really feel the effects of a workout?

I was just wondering this today. I woke up, ready for bootcamp and I swear my hamstrings hurt even more than yesterday. I probably could have babied them and given my body a break, but I view exercising as a personal investment. I hope you can start to see it that way. When you are working out, whether you are there willingly, out of guilt, or dragged by a friend, make this your mantra:Read More

If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you know that I’m a huge fan of abs. While a lot of people despise crunches and planks, I absolutely love them. I know, I’m weird.

That being said, I really haven’t trained my abs exclusively in close to a year. Maybe a total of 30 minutes a week, and it’s not because I don’t want to. It’s simply because my current exercise routine seems to be even more effective at toning my abs than exercises I’ve posted in the past. Don’t get me wrong. I love those exercises and I have come to the conclusion that I am at a point in which, if I want to build my abdominal muscles, I will perform these exercises. However, the secret to great abs isn’t a variation of crunches at all.Read More

We just finished our annual Outer Banks vacation with my husband’s side of the family. It was the first time I hadn’t had a newborn or been pregnant in three years, so I really enjoyed it! I really felt like we finally made it over that hump…you know, the one in which you are always thinking, “this is going to suck but I’m going to keep trying.” The kids are finally all at pretty great ages. The older two are 8 and 10 and can boogie board and jump waves like pros. The 3 year old finally became best buddies with her other 3 year old cousin, and let me tell you, the two of them are trouble! The 16 month old charged the waves like Mel Gibson in Braveheart. He absolutely loved the beach! Like I said, it finally feels like my life is letting out an enormous exhale instead of holding its breath for easier days.Read More

While accepting the possibility that I might actually be close to the point in my life that I have time to start blogging again, I’m going to kick off a new segment called, “Fridays with Addie.”

Addie is my 2 year old and she is a hilarious child. She’s smart…too smart. She’s sugar and spice and has an Irish temper. She’s always listening. She is a constant reminder of the things I dislike about myself. For example, when driving, sometimes I say things to the cars in front of me. I don’t mean to, I just do…such as “move along,” or “let’s go genius.” She can talk to her brothers and sister, while simultaneously listening to my husband and my conversations. She stores our words in her little brain bank, and saves them for the appropriate, (but most inappropriate) times. Addie pretty much is my verbal conscience when we go to the food store, which is mortifying. Somehow, she knows the random thoughts that fly in and out of my head, when we’re in a crowded store of people that think the entire earth is revolving around them.Read More

I have to say that even I am more lax and forgiving during the holiday season, and I think you have to be. To deprive yourself of all the sugary goodness is just cruel. That being said, here’s a few tips to avoid shattering your world when you step on the scale in January.Read More

You woke me up today at quarter of five, so I made you a bottle and sat in the rocker feeding you…and you just stared at me. Lately, I can’t get your attention for a moment while feeding you a bottle. You are constantly looking at the world around you, taking in every moment, almost afraid you’re going to miss something. But not this morning. Today, all you cared about was me.Read More

I can say that I’ve adjusted at this point. To what? The chaos. Having four children is total chaos. There’s not a moment I’m not pulled in one direction or another. If one child doesn’t need me, another does. I know that I need at least an hour to get everyone and everything packed and out the door. It’s exhausting. It’s sorta like groundhog day. But it’s pretty amazing. I can say with absolute confidence that no day is boring.Read More

Meet Michelle

Thanks for visiting my blog! My name is Michelle and I am a happy, married mother of four. I love to write about my blended family, fitness, nutrition, and even throw in an occasional rant here and there! I enjoy hearing from my followers, so if you have any input or questions regarding anything you read, please leave a comment!